Wednesday, December 06, 2006

I found this great site a few weeks ago but every time a Wednesday came round I forgot.The idea is that you add your link to the "blog carnival" and write about your tip. A lot of them, especially the ones using bicarbonate of soda and vinegar, will be familiar to you. Isn't there a book describing the 100 uses of vinegar?I certainly use lots of bicarb for all sorts of things though this is one I haven't tried: a friend had vile sinus problems which persisted in spite of antibiotics (she lives in a very polluted city) so her doctor advised her to do a nasal wash with weak bicarb solution. It sounds dreadful, doesn't it? But it worked! Though don't try this at home...No, that wasn't MY TIP. Here it is....I'm the chief painting and decorating section of our partnership. This is ok and is certainly more desirable than being the chief unblocker of drains..It's a restful job though the one thing that I don't enjoy is cleaning the brushes but you have to do it particularly when the job needs to be finished the next day.So one day while watching the hairdresser wrap a client's streaks in clingfilm to stop them drying out it occurred to me that I could wrap my brushes in clingfilm, I think it's called saran wrap in the States, instead of washing them so that the following morning I could take up where I left off with the brush already charged. You can also wrap up the paint tray. Just make sure that all the tools are well wrapped up with no chinks for the air to get in.And it works like a dream.And if you already knew that, why didn't you tell me?

Yes, keeping the brush overnight well wrapped up is a good idea. I use a a polythene bag if cling film's not handy. As you say, you have to wrap really tightly to keep the air out, since it's a chemical reaction with oxygen that makes oil paint harden.

And I'm coming round to the view that cleaning paint brushes with white spirit has got to be environmentally harmful, assuming the spent spirit gets flushed down the loo, causing lord knows what problems at the water-treatment plants.

Bicarb ? As I expect you know, nothing beats it for getting rid of tea stains on cups and teapots. Just make a paste with water.

Well, I am around and okay sweet(I just cant sleep thankyou for your comment) And my tip is Bi-carb 1 teaspoon in half a cup of water for food allergies and hyperactivity in kidsand the same every hour for bladder infections . I know both work.Deb (adove) has been a godsend as have you all. I like the tip idea im going to join you with this.Hugs xxx